Pandemic Getaways
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Wonderful and safe getaways during the pandemic

Since March 2020, the Netherlands has had several different levels of lockdown to control the virus, some of which offer an opportunity to get away for a weekend. Here are my tips on how to responsibly enjoy a holiday in the Netherlands during…
Simpel Award Website of the year 2020!Simple
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Simpel voted Website of the Year 2020

On 26 November, 2020, Simpel was voted the 'Website of the Year 2020' by the Dutch public, making it the overall winner of the 20th edition of this exciting election. The Website of the Year election* is the largest online public award…
Cabinet tightens up measuresMarkus Winkler
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Cabinet tightens up measures to tackle coronavirus

On the evening of 3 November, prime minister Mark Rutte and minister Hugo de Jonge announced new measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus. In addition to extending the current measures, part of the package of new measures…
Major job losses are imminent at and around Schiphol due to coronaBen Koorengevel on Unsplash
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Major job losses imminent at Schiphol due to coronavirus crisis

Due to the coronavirus crisis, about half of the jobs at and around Schiphol are at risk of disappearing in the short term, the NOS national news website reports. There are about 35,000 job at Schiphol, says the FNV trade union. In addition,…
STAD AMSTERDAM AT THE MARITIME MUSEUMTHE MARITIME MUSEUM AMSTERDAM
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Stad Amsterdam at the Maritime Museum

The clipper Stad Amsterdam will be moored at The National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam until the end of March 2021. The clipper Stad Amsterdam will arrive at The National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam at the beginning of September. After…
Heavily pregnant cow walks into a busy Brabant restaurantDe Brabantse Kluis a
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Heavily pregnant cow walks into a busy Brabant restaurant

Imagine this happens to you ... you are having a nice dinner in a restaurant and suddenly a heavily pregnant cow walks in. This happened on Thursday evening in Brabant's restaurant Herberg De Brabantse Kluis. De Brabantse Kluis at Kloosterdreef …
The CoronaMelder coronavirus app is in an advanced stage of development trialled in several regions in the Netherlands and in multiple languagesGovernment of the Netherlands.Government of the Netherlands
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Dutch CoronaMelder coronavirus app to feature multiple languages

The CoronaMelder coronavirus app is in an advanced stage of development. CoronaMelder is currently being trialled in several regions in the Netherlands and will offer multiple language options, including English, German, Polish and Turkish,…
Beverwijk Bazaar open or partly closed?falco via Pixabay
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Concerns about coronavirus measures at Beverwijk Bazaar

The Veiligheidsregio Kennemerland (Kennemerland Region Security Organisation) has decided to close three halls that are part of the Beverwijk Bazaar, Hall 30 to Hall 33, for two weeks. However, Bazaar Beverwijk entrepreneurs refuse to close…
Testing centre at Schiphol Airport open from this week
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Testing centre at Schiphol Airport open from this week

A testing centre at Schiphol Airport opened on Friday 14 August. This is where travellers returning from high-risk areas can get themselves tested. Read about what that involves. By getting yourself tested for COVID-19 at Schiphol,…
Info face masks mandatory in parts of AmsterdamCity of Amsterdam
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Face masks mandatory in parts of Amsterdam

Since Wednesday 5 August, it has been mandatory for anyone the age of 13 and above to wear a non-medical face mask in parts of Amsterdam city centre. These designated areas have been selected due to there being limited space and where it…
End of heat in sight: showers and thunderstorms and cooler weekendKNMI
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End of heat in sight: showers and thunderstorms and cooler weekend

In a few days, the heatwave that the whole country has been dealing with for a week will end. According to KNMI, after some thunderstorms and rain showers, it will be 'only' 25-28 degrees from Friday.  Today was another hot day in the…
Refilling water bottle more dirty than licking toilet seatPhoto by Kate Joie on Unsplash
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Refilling water bottle more dirty than licking toilet seat

While reusing water bottles is good for the environment, it may not be as good for us. Research has shown that recycled water bottles can contain more bacteria than a toilet seat. For the study, water bottles of athletes were tested to…
There is recurrent car vandalism in the Vijfhoek in Haarlem. Local Municipality and Police are aware of the situation but do nothing. The citizens pay the fee of this uncontrolled vandalism.
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Car vandalism in the Vijfhoek

Last Friday morning my car was damaged in de Vijfhoek. The perpetrator has fled. Local residents say that trucks very regularly do not easily make the bend in the Gedempte Raamgracht, damage a car and flee. The Municipality of Haarlem and the…
The Netherlands officially has the first national heat wave of the yearGerd Altmann via Pixabay
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First official national heat wave of the year

The Netherlands officially has the first national heat wave of the year. Around 10 a.m. a temperature of 25 degrees was measured in De Bilt. To be classed as a nationwide heatwave, the De Bilt weather station must record a five-day period…
Connexxion: This weekend extra buses from Haarlem to Zandvoort beachCreative Commons CC0 1.0 Universele Public Domain Dedication
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Connexxion: This weekend extra buses from Haarlem to Zandvoort beach

Connexxion will run more buses this weekend from Haarlem to the beach at Zandvoort. The transport company says that they learned a lesson from last Friday, when it was overcrowded in the buses on the way to the sea. This weekend there…
Greenjoy Boat Renting Summer 2020: Special € 20 Discount for expatsHaarlem readers
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Greenjoy Boat Renting Summer 2020: Special € 20 Discount for expatsHaarlem readers

Wow, it’s amazing.. SUNNY WEATHER IN THE NETHERLANDS! Can you believe it? Why not making the most of it then? The weather forecast seems to be pretty awesome for the coming week! Let's hope even weeks! Are you – like many others – eager…
Dutch safari girafferoyalty free (author's own pic)
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Go on safari 1.5 hours’ drive away from Haarlem

If you opted for a 'staycation' and are looking for ideas of what to do, why not head to Tilburg for an educational outdoor adventure? Go on safari right here in the Netherlands, exploring nature, getting some fresh air and coming face-to-face…
cyclingroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Get on Your Bike for Rondje Haarlem: The Most Stunning Cycle Route

Hey you! Are you, like me, feeling the wanderlust growing as days pass by? Have you, too, reached that uncomfortable point, where you really need to get out and about for some kind of adventure, even if just for an afternoon, but don’t quite…
Yellow heartsHaarlem Marketing
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Yellow heart markings in Haarlem

Now that the city is reviving and more people are on the move, the message to keep 1.5 meter distance from other persons and avoid crowds will continue. That is why yellow heart markings have been applied in Haarlem to remind visitors this message…
weather pentecosthttps://www.theweathernetwork.com/
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Summer weather during and over Pentecost weekend

The summer weather, with plenty of sunshine and some cloud, is set to continue during and over the Pentecost weekend, with even higher temperatures next week, according to KNMI (the Dutch national weather service). On Friday it's sunny…
Corona
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Dutch museums closed until 1 June

From the Van Gogh Museum to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, from Frans Hals and Teylers Museum in Haarlem and Kunstmuseum and Louwman Museum in the Hague: as a result of the stricter measures taken by the government on 23 March the major museums…
pink flower fieldroyalty free (reuse without attribution)
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Around Haarlem during the coronavirus crisis

It is advisable to stay indoors at this time of social distancing. We can still go outside so long as we follow the government’s current guidelines to stay at least 1.5 metres away from other people – this holds true whether you are in the…
coronavirus
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Netherlands closes schools, bars, cafes and restaurants in coronavirus fight

All schools and daycare centres in the Netherlands will be shut from Monday 16 March until at least Monday 6 April in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus. In addition, bars, cafes, restaurants, sex clubs, cannabis cafes, saunas and…
Dutch wineRoyalty free with no attribution required (from rawpixel)
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Dutch wine: take a tour to discover your new favourite tipple

I know what you are thinking: the Netherlands is famous for its beer and its jenever, but surely not for its wine? Well, we are here to tell you that Dutch wine does exist, and it is a delight to the taste buds. Not only that, in recent years…
code yellow
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Again code yellow in province for strong gusts of wind

For the whole of the Noord-Holland The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) issued code yellow for strong gusts of wind. According to the Dutch national weather institute, there is a risk of heavy gusts of wind up to around…
Carnaval
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Carnival parade in Eindhoven cancelled due to high winds

The Carnival parade in Eindhoven has been cancelled this weekend due to forecasted high winds. Carnival organisers made known that other activities would still go ahead in a revised order. But their carnival procession has been cancelled…
Van GoghJan-Kees Steenman
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Van Gogh Museum acquires a unique Degas pastel

In a first for the Netherlands, the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam has acquired a fully worked out pastel by French impressionist Edgar Degas, which will be on show from next Wednesday. The Van Gogh Museum has acquired an important pastel…
Vooges
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Haarlem Xmas Comedy & Drinks

Join the Haarlem Xmas Comedy, with a great international line up, in trendy and cozy Vooges Centraal, with excellent drinks and snacks, next to (almost in) Haarlem Central Station. Don't miss it! Online tickets with discount (€ 10 p.p. instead…
Haarlem ChristmasInage by Jill Wellington ©
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Things to do in Haarlem this December

Happy holidays to all our expatsHaarlem readers, December has finally arrived! Sinterklaas kicked off the festivities but that is only the beginning! This month promises a variety of festive events from the much anticipated Christmas Markets…
Boom Marketing
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Boom Marketing 2019

Join the first International Marketing Conference & Comedy in Amsterdam! and explore what's on in branding, marketing and technology. Boom Marketing is an interesting and fun 1 day marketing event with sessions about Branding, Neuromarketing,…